Board of Commissioners

John L. Batey, Jr. has been associated with Consolidated Utility District of Rutherford County since 1985, and has served as the President of the Board since 1986. He is a native of Rutherford County. Raised in the Blackman community, where he still resides, he is a sixth generation farmer.

John graduated from Central High School and received his degree in Agriculture from MTSU. During the 60’s, he served for several years in the National Guard. He is a past president of Rutherford County Farm Bureau, for which he serves as an active board member. He is also a past chairman of Farm Service Agency, and was on the state board as well. John has been a board member of the Rutherford Coop for many years. He is active in Tennessee Pork Producers and has served as president. Currently, he is co-chairman of Cumberland Region Tomorrow, which is a long-range planning group for Middle Tennessee. He is involved with the Blackman Community Club and the Sportsman’s Club, among other community interests.

John enjoys farming. A new farming venture finds John selling pork products which are locally produced and marketed. He is married to the former Melissa Weatherford and has three children and six grandchildren. He is a member of the Blackman United Methodist Church.

Dr. Rosemary Owens became a member of Consolidated Utility District of Rutherford County’s Board of Commissioners in 1996. Dr. Owens is a life-long resident of Walter Hill, Tennessee. After graduating from Walter Hill High School, Middle Tennessee State University, and Tennessee State University she taught at the Mitchell Neilson Schools in Murfreesboro, Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, and served as a College Dean at Middle Tennessee State University.

Dr. Owens has served the community as an Advisor for Hospice of Murfreesboro, Advisor for the Tennessee Technology Center, member of the Rutherford County Planning Commission, member of the Education 2000 Task Force, Rutherford County Adult, Activity Center Board, American Heart Association Board, United Way, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee – Murfreesboro.

She is a member of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Walter Hill, Tennessee. Her husband, son, and daughter are all credentialed educators in Tennessee.

Craig Lynch became a member of Consolidated Utility District of Rutherford County’s Board of Commissioners in 1990 with previous service as an advisor.    He is a 1964 graduate of Christiana High School and graduated from MTSU with a marketing major in 1972.   During this time period he spent four years in USAF.  He became employed in the United States Postal Service in 1980 serving at the Fosterville Post Office.  He retired from this position in 2009.

Craig is a former director of the Middle Tennessee Christian School.   He is currently serving on the Rutherford County Regional Planning Commission, Farm Bureau Board of Directors, and Fosterville/Midland Volunteer Fire Department Board of Directors.

He enjoys hunting, collecting rural items of the past, and entertaining in their log cabin.  He likes to talk with others about early history of the community and the county.  He and his wife Pam, live in the Fosterville community, have raised two children, and enjoy managing the family farm. They are both active members of the Fosterville Church of Christ

Lynnisse Roehrich-Patrick has been an active Board Advisor to Consolidated Utility District of Rutherford County since February of 2007.  Ms. Roehrich-Patrick is the executive director of the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, a state agency formed in 1978 to serve as a forum for discussion and resolution of intergovernmental problems affecting Tennessee residents.  Ms. Roehrich-Patrick is one of eight people representing Rutherford County on the board of Cumberland Region Tomorrow, a nonprofit organization that brings people together to address regional challenges and opportunities created by growth and development in Middle Tennessee.

Ms. Roehrich-Patrick served on the steering committees for Rutherford County’s comprehensive plan and for the City of Murfreesboro’s land use plan for the Blackman community, where she and her husband, Steve Patrick, have lived since 1985.

Carter Woodruff became a member of Consolidated Utility District of Rutherford County’s Board of Commissioners in 2005, having previously served for many years as an advisor to the board.  He graduated from Riverdale High School in 1976 and then graduated from MTSU with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business in 1980.

Carter has been employed with Farm Credit Mid America since 1980 and is currently a Senior Agricultural Financial Services Officer, serving several counties in the Middle Tennessee area.

He is currently serving as a director on the Stones River Manor advisory board and the Bedford County Fair Association board (he was one of original founders of the fair). He is a member of the American Angus Association and the Tennessee Cattleman’s association.   He formerly served as a member of the Central Tennessee Solid Waste Planning board (representing Rutherford County) and the original Rutherford County Storm Water Advisory Committee.  He is active in working with different groups/programs at Middle Tennessee Christian School where his daughters have attended and his wife is a teacher.

Carter has a sizeable beef cattle operation on his farms in the Crescent and Barfield communities.  He enjoys the old ways of farming with his mules and horses and has heritage implements and tools that he exhibits at fairs, farm events, etc.; explaining how they were used and educating young people. He enjoys hunting, when the opportunity arises, and is an ardent Tennessee Titans fan.

He and his wife Marvene live in the Christiana community and have two daughters, Marianna and Elizabeth.  They are active members of the Fosterville Church of Christ.

Chip Pinion became an advisor to Consolidated Utility District’s Board of Commissioners in January 2017.  He is a 1995 graduate of Union City High School in Union City, TN.  He received a BS in Engineering from The University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, TN in June 2000.

Chip has been employed with The Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation for 11 years.  He is currently the Systems Control Supervisor.  He is a member of the Rutherford County Regional Planning Commission and one of eight people representing Rutherford County on the board of Cumberland Region Tomorrow, a non-profit long range planning group for Middle Tennessee. He also serves on the Advisory Board of Directors for the University of Tennessee at Martin’s School of Engineering. He has served as a Volunteer Assistant Girls Basketball Coach at Riverdale High School and Middle Tennessee Christian School.

Chip enjoys going to NASCAR races and camping with his family, hunting, and golfing. He resides in the Christiana community along with his wife Mandy and their two children Paige and Tryson.

Hassel B Smith, III (Trey) became an advisor to Consolidated Utility District’s Board of Commissioners in June 2011.  He is a 1989 graduate of Webb School, Bell Buckle, TN.  He received a BS in Agricultural Economics from Auburn University, Auburn, AL in 1995.

Trey has been employed by Tennessee Farmers’ Cooperative, LaVergne, TN for 19 years.  He is currently the manager of the equipment department, Ag Equipment, USA.  He is also the local advisor to Farm Credit Services of Mid- America.

Trey resides on his family farm, in Lascassas, raising pure bred Black Angus cattle with his wife Jennifer and their three children.  They are members of the First United Methodist Church, Murfreesboro.

Allen Swader became an advisor to Consolidated Utility District’s Board of Commissioners in February 2018. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Carson Newman University and has completed a multitude of fire- related courses.

Allen is a native of Rutherford County and has been employed with the City of Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department for 28 years. His career began with the department in 1990 as a firefighter and promoted to fire inspector in 1996, advancing to the rank of Assistant Chief in 2001. He is State certified as Officer 1 and 2, Instructor 1, Safety Officer, Fire Inspector 1 and Medical First Responder. He was also the first Public Information Officer to be appointed to the department.

He serves on the Rutherford County Regional Planning Commission (Board of Zoning Appeals), and currently serving on the Boys & Girls Clubs of Rutherford County Board.

Allen resides in Murfreesboro with his wife Lisa and their two children Zion, and Amari.